Everything Comes Crashing Down
by Prosecuting Defense
Summary: As if Ethan hasn't been through enough, he and Jayden are caught in a car crash, with Ethan going into a coma. When he wakes up, however, things aren't exactly how he remembers them. Ethan / Jayden. AU. M, but not explicit, don't get your hopes up.


**Note: **yo okay I've been working on this for a long time and this is a really long Mayden fic (well it's not really _that_ long, but yknow. It was supposed to be a one shot so if it was it would be an insanely long one shot (like 10,000 words omg)

kevin made me upload it into chapters so there should be like 7 parts

this was inspired by an OTP prompts that i edited a bit

and I'll post the prompt itself at the very end so as not to give away the entire plot like

okay yes angst alert.

* * *

Norman was the one driving when the car crashed. Neither of them had seen it coming. Then again, no one ever expects a drunk driver, not really. Nor is there anything anyone could do to prevent a collision with one until it's too late.

Norman had just called Ethan over to wrap up the Origami Case. The father was in no shape to drive, no matter what he said. He was just driving Ethan home when the accident happened. Ethan was knocked out almost instantly.

It was a while before Ethan finally came to. At first all he heard was a soft beeping. Then, slowly, he began to register more sounds: the soft humming of machines, pens scrawling across clipboards, people hurrying back and forth in the near distance.

Finally Ethan was able to open his eyes. He was lying on his back, in a hospital bed, head facing the wall on the right. He didn't want to move quite yet.

There were too many questions plaguing him right then to worry about movement. How long had he been out? When was he dropped off at the hospital? How bad were the injuries? What happened to-

"_Shit, Norman!"_ He shot up, immediately regretting it. _Sore as all hell._ Still – Jayden was the one driving. Ethan obviously survived – but Jayden, he had no way of knowing whether the agent had survived it or not.

"Norman, Norman, wake up! Dad's okay!" _Shaun._ Ethan turned his head to see Shaun sliding off the chair next to a half-asleep Jayden. Shaun ran to give Ethan a hug, which he accepted – despite the intense pain it caused. He had to stay strong, if not for himself, then for Shaun; the kid had been through enough in the past year. Ethan rested his head on Shaun's shoulder. _To think he almost lost his father – for a third time…_

"Are you okay?" Norman asked, wide awake, and standing behind Shaun, leaning on a pair of crutches. "You seem to be recoverin' pretty fast."

"Could be worse," Ethan mumbled, finally letting go of his son. As Shaun slid onto the empty space on the bed next to his father, Ethan asked, "How're you doing? You were the one that got hit hardest, after all."

"Couple'a broken bones and shit, nothin' I won't survive." That would explain the sling and cast… and of course, the crutches. Norman seemed to have broken an arm _and_ a leg. Not to mention that bandage covering his cheek. Yet another scar to add to that pretty face.

_Pretty face?_

"I'd say you had it worst, Ethan, you were the one in a coma."

_Again._ "How long was I out? Not another six months, was it?"

"Two weeks," Shaun said, not looking his dad in the eye.

"How bad was the physical damage?" he asked, reaching up to feel his cheek, and brushing his fingers against a bandage.

"A few broken ribs," a woman who Ethan assumed was his doctor, explained. She had dark brown hair, flawless skin, and piercing blue eyes.

"Aside from the ones you had gotten yourself during the case that you never bothered to get checked out," Norman added. Ethan wanted to shudder. He still couldn't believe he'd gone through the trials a mere two weeks (less, even) ago. And then to add yet another car accident to the list.

"You've got a slight concussion, and I wouldn't be surprised if there's some memory loss, temporary or not," the doctor said, turning to Jayden.

Memory loss. Just what he needed. Speaking of what he needed…

"Where's your mother?" he asked Shaun.

"Mom's at home. I've been staying with you and Norman."

Norman_? When did he get dragged into this?_

"He's had me bringing him here after school every day. Guess we, uh, fell asleep this time," Norman said, a slightly embarrassed smile on his face. He paused, before his face went serious. "I've gotta call Grace, I'll be right back," Jayden said, pulling his phone out of his pocket and walking into the hallway outside of Ethan's room, Shaun following him.

_What the _fuck_ is going on._

"How long am I going to have to stay here?" Ethan asked, exasperated. The faster he got out, the faster he could get home and try to figure out what the hell was going on. Now, however, he was torn between asking questions and falling asleep. He was exhausted (why? – he hadn't even done _anything_) and sore as hell.

"We'll keep you overnight today, seeing as you just woke up – but we shouldn't have to keep you more than a few days, if you can't leave tomorrow.

"I'm going to get you your pain medication, Mr. Mars, I'll be right back." Before she left, she turned back to Ethan, a gentle smile on her face. "You were out pretty long, sir. You're a very lucky man, your son and boyfriend have been here every night since your accident." She left before a confused Ethan could respond.

…_Boyfriend._

_…Boyfriend?_

_…Boyfriend!?_

Okay. He was alone. For a few minutes. Now, what the hell was going on.

He'd saved Shaun. That was two weeks ago.

Shaun stayed with him for a week, then went to Grace's for the next week. He was with Grace when Jayden picked him up to discuss the case.

Then that fucking car hit, and he was knocked out. Jayden was seriously injured, but he was alive.

Ethan was comatose for two weeks. Possible memory loss.

Okay, the memory loss was something he could work with… but to forget something like being in a relationship with someone – enough to trust them with Shaun, and for that someone to be Jayden nonetheless.

Something was wrong here, Ethan couldn't just forget something like that. Jayden had to have lied about their "relationship" to the doctor.

But what would Jayden gain from lying?

The doctor came in, medicine cup in one hand, water in the other. Ethan took the meds quickly, disappointed in the lack of the bottle that Madison had given him after the 'bear' trial. Ethan doubted that a single pill would work.

Norman and Shaun followed in not too long after.

"She said I'm prob'ly gonna be stuck here overnight," Ethan said, with a shrug (once again, regretting the movement)

"And then dad finally gets to come home?" Shaun asked, eyes bright with hope.

The doctor nodded. "He should be able to."

"Yes!" Shaun's relief gave Ethan some solace; it was the only thing that made him feel… normal.

Jayden smiled. "Thank ya, Doc. It means a lot."

"Anytime, Jayden. Just… don't forget, visiting hours end soon. Oh, and Mr. Mars," she said, turning to the patient, "I'll be sending in a nurse to check up on you in an hour or so."

Ethan nodded weakly. "Thank you." She gave but a smile in return, before exiting the room. "What time _is_ it, anyway? Seeing how visiting hours're ending?"

"It's around 7… visitin' hours end at 8." Jayden explained, glancing at his watch. "Grace is coming to pick Shaun up, and check on you. She's on her way now." He turned to the boy. "Shaun, go get your stuff ready, okay?"

"'Kay, Norman."

"Speaking of driving, how're you getting around?" Ethan asked. "No way you're driving with two plasters."

Jayden looked down. "I've had to ask for rides…"

"From who?" he pressed.

Jayden laughed, a short one, but it gave Ethan some comfort, oddly enough. "Believe it or not, I conned Blake into driving me back and forth from Shaun's school to here."

_Blake… He says it as if I'm supposed to know who he is…_

_Wait, wasn't he that asshole cop who was convinced _I_ was the killer…?_

"Shit, how'd you manage to do that?" Ethan asked. "He actually has a soul?"

Jayden smiled. "And _that's _the Ethan we were waitin' for."

Ethan was about to respond when there was a knock on the door, followed by a head of brown hair.

"_Oh God, you're alive!"_ Ethan found himself in yet another pain-inducing embrace, though, _thank you meds_, this didn't quite hurt so much.

"Thank you so much for calling, Jayden," Grace said as she let go slowly.

"It was the least I could do," he said with a shrug.

"Ethan, I'm so glad you're okay."

Ethan offered a weak smile in response. "So am I." Jayden rolled his eyes.

"It's late… Shaun you've got school tomorrow. You ready?" Grace asked.

_Well she seems in an rush… oh wait, visiting hours are up in like… half an hour._

Shaun nodded. He was just swinging his backpack over his shoulder as he gave his dad another hug. "See ya tomorrow, dad!" he said, giving his dad a quick peck on the cheek. Ethan couldn't stop a smile from coming through – it'd been a _long_ time since Shaun'd been that affectionate. He ran back to his mother, who was standing in the doorway.

"Jayden, you need a ride?"

"Yes, please. Thank you, Grace. Just give me a minute, please?"

"Of course," she said as she and Shaun moved to the hallway.

"I'm glad you're okay," Jayden said, making to sit next to Ethan on the bed, similar to how Shaun was seated earlier.

"That makes both of us," Ethan said with a lopsided smile. "I'm glad you're okay too."

"Grace'll be coming to pick you up tomorrow, since I obviously can't," he gestured to the crutches in his hand, "and since Madison only has a bike."

_Madison… I'll have to call her soon. See if she knows what the hell's going on._

Ethan nodded. "Got it."

"I'll see you at home," Jayden smiled, standing up, "Try to sleep, okay? You need it," he said, before pressing his lips softly to Ethan's. The latter tensed up but knew he didn't have any energy to push Jayden away, even if he wanted to.

_Come to think of it… why don't I want to push him away?_

_"Jayden?"_

"Comin'! Don't fault the guy on crutches," he called back. "Sleep, Ethan. We'll see you tomorrow," he said, before finally hobbling out the door.


End file.
